1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wort cooking or boiling arrangement, which operates with vapor concentration, including a wort cauldron or kettle and with two separate heating circuits which are located externally of the wort cauldron and which are formed by heat exchangers, wherein the one heat exchanger (live steam heat exchanger) is supplied with live steam for the heating of the worts, and the other heat exchanger (vapor heat exchanger) is supplied with concentrated vapors for the subsequent cooking or boiling of the worts.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
More recently, it has become known that for the required cooking of the worts during a brewing process, operation may be effectuated with so-called vapor concentrating installations, wherein heat pumps serve for the transport of energy. The foregoing relates to an open process, whereby the vapors which are produced during the boiling down of the worts are aspirated and concentrated. During the subsequent condensation, the vapors again transfer their heat to the worts, and are then separated out of the system in the form of a liquid.
Through the direct utilization of the heat of the vapors for the wort cooking or boiling process, the resultant waste heat and the heat consumption are in a direct interrelationship. As a result thereof, it is possible to remove the vapors. Any need for an interim storage of the waste heat is obviated. The necessary energy demand reduces itself hereby to the balancing between the radiation losses and the work which is necessary for the heat transport.
Moreover, it is also known in the current state-of-the-technology, that the heating and cooking of the worts can be carried out with two separate heating installations. In one of the heating installations, the worts are initially heated with live steam, whereas during cooking or boiling they are then subjected to pressurized vapors.
For the preheating of the worts with the aid of live steam, heretofore operations were carried out either through the intermediary of heating devices installed on the boiler, an internal or external cooker; however, while the worts were in every instance conveyed through an external cooker for cooking, inasmuch as one was required to operate with low heating-steam pressures, such that because of the concentrated vapors, greater than average-sized heating surfaces were required.
The operation with two separate heating circuits, one for live steam and one for concentrated vapors, is based in a first instance on the concept that, due to the separation of the heating circuits, the condensate from the live steam can be reused; in essence, there is precluded any contamination of the boiler and condensate system caused by vapor constituents.
Previously known systems, which operate with two separate heating installations, have implemented the foregoing, in that there were provided two separate and adjacently arranged, in effect, sequentially-connected external cookers whereby, initially, the worts were heated with live steam in a first external cooker. Thereafter the worts were conducted out of the first external cooker, and introduced into the second external cooker, so that a heat exchange took place for cooking with concentrated vapors. At a lower discharge of the two cookers there could be further employed the respective condensates, for example, for the preparation of warm water.
Through the external heating and cooking in two separate, successively arranged external cookers, the necessary demands on installation (piping, insulations, material consumption), as well as the operating demands (safety reinforcements) are relatively extensive.